Things aren't always what they Seem
by Dr. Dread
Summary: "Come with me, woman."


Author's Note: So, yet another UlquiHime fic. I just love that pairing~ Anyways, dedicated to my pal **Panda Kanda**. And to Everyone else: Enjoy. ;D

Disclaimer: Nothing of Bleach belongs to me. It all goes to Tite Kubo and whatnot.

* * *

He had vanished right before her eyes. Was that even logically possible? No, not logically but she'd been thrown into a world of impossibilities that weren't so impossible after all.

"Hey, Orihime! Why so glum?" Tatsuki asked concerned, as she threw an arm over her friend's shoulder.

Orihime jumped as her friend came out of nowhere. "Oh, It's you Tatsuki! Hehe." She forced a tight smile upon her lips. Tatsuki glanced away; she knew something was wrong with her friend but she couldn't force it out of her. "Come on, let's go. I heard Ichigo's dad is hosting a party for Yuzu and Karin. I say we crash it."

Orihime shook her head sadly. "You go on ahead. I want to do something, alone." She quietly whispered.

Tatsuki frowned but she plastered a grin on her face. "Alright, I'll see you there later, then?"

She wanted to cry. She was practically pushing her best friend away, but she seemed to understand and gave her space.

"Yeah, I'll meet you there!" She tried to sound enthusiastic but it sounded even fake to her own ears.

Things were different now. How could they still the same? She was forced against her will to go with the enemy. She was detained and she had to stay with them as her friends were taken down relentlessly. She could do nothing, absolutely nothing! She was gifted with abilities meant to help others, but even then they were still useless. What good were they, if they could not help when needed most?

Orihime sat down on a swing at the park, near where she had been saved by her brother Sora. She stared off aimlessly at her surroundings. She saw a blue, toy truck and smiled at the thought of a little boy giddy of having his own toy. Her eyes caught sight of something peculiar. It was an emerald ball or perhaps it seemed to pass off as emerald.

Emerald…Why did it strike familiarity in her?

_'Come with me, girl.'_

That's right. It reminded her of his eyes. Were they emerald? They were quite a beautiful shade of green…

Ulquiorra Schiffer was her captor and enemy. He was ordered to watch over her in Las Noches, and make sure she didn't completely waste away.

Orihime stopped rocking back and forth on the swing. She wondered…were they so bad? They were created by Aizen, and everyone knew he had loose screws in that head of his.

_'And here I was finally starting to take in interest in all of you.'_

They had no right or say in their life.

_'Are you afraid of me, girl?'_

Her grip tightened on the chain as she silently trembled.

_'I'm not afraid.'_

Orihime felt something wet trickle down her cheeks. It was warm and sticky; she wiped at her eyes and stared bewildered at the tears dripping onto her palm.

Why did there have to be violence, war? It only brought tragedy to them in the end. Everything was devastated!

What good would it have brought anyways?

"Even now, all I can do is cry, huh?" She rubbed eyes and nose with her sleeve. "I'm such a mess." She threw back her head and laughed. If only she could make it sound as merry as she wanted it to. Tears continued to flow but she just let them stream down her cheeks. Even if she wiped them away, the old tears would be replaced with new ones.

Something wet yet cool pelted her face. She looked up to discover that it was raining. How could she have missed such a thing?

She sighed as she remained seated on the swing. She should have checked the news in the morning then she would have had an umbrella handy.

In fact, she should get up and find some shelter.

She should really get up and move.

Why was it her legs felt so weak and wobbly?

She never was strong. Everyone always came to her rescue now that she thought about it.

"Just take me away…" She whispered, gazing up at the sky and beyond to what was believed the heavens.

Steadily, she reached out to the darkening sky that now flashed with lightening. Would it grant her wish and take her away from her wretched life?

_**Help me…**_

Her eyes slowly shut as the rain continued it's downpour, as she still reached for an answer, as she prayed for the end.

"Gyaaaaah!" Orihime screamed with fright as she slipped and fell backwards off the swing. Something had brushed her hand, but what?

Her eyes shot open as she hit the slick pavement with a thud. Pain ricocheted to her back but it was hardly noticeable; she was pretty numb from the cold rain.

"Humans are such clumsy creatures."

Orihime stared speechless at the ground after hearing that voice. It had to be a hallucination, right? No way was he there before her, alive. He died, he disappeared, he was gone! She saw it with her own eyes so this had to be her ears deceiving her.

"So pitiful. Once you burned with bravery and courage. Now, you have fallen to true despair."

She clutched at the grass beneath as he spoke those words, as he spoke the truth.

Gathering what little strength she had left she looked up.

Her eyes widened significantly and her jaw practically dropped open.

"Ulquiorra…?"

How could he be standing before her?

"Girl."

He died in Las Noches.

"H-How?" She managed to choke out.

Those emerald eyes stared down at her, intensely. "Even I do not possess that knowledge."

She noticed he held an umbrella in his hand and it happened to be black. Surprisingly she thought it suited him.

"Why are you here?"

"Why do you wish to die,_ now_?"

She froze up at the question, embarrassed he had heard her.

"Do not ask questions that are unnecessary to be answered."

He turned his back on her and walked away.

She stared at his figure swiftly walking into the darkness.

"Wait…" Orihime croaked; her throat suddenly felt dry. "Wait!" She reached out to his disappearing figure. "ULQUIORRA!" Her scream echoed around her as she felt tears pooling in her eyes once again. Or did they ever stop?

"Don't leave, again…"

Her wrist was grasped by another's and she was flung into a chest. It felt strangely warm and the rain was no longer hitting her.

"Foolish, girl."

Looking closer at him, she saw that he didn't have those dark lines pouring down his face and he wasn't so pale. Orihime clutched onto his shirt as she buried her face in his shoulder. Slightly agitated at his shirt being sobbed upon, he looked down at her wrist still in his grip. He slipped his hand up until their palms were touching.

Orihime looked at their hands as well and glanced back at him. Timidly, she entwined her fingers with his.

Ulquiorra did the same action as Orihime only a bit more carefully. His eyes flicked to her curious face as if expecting her to do something else.

She brought her other hand and closed it over their entwined hands. A bit shyly, she brought it to her heart and looked at him tentatively. He felt the slow, steady beat of her organ.

"Technically this is what a heart is…"She began. "But this is _our_ heart." She pulled their hands away from her heart and held them out to him. "It is within our grasp."

"Our heart…" He murmured a bit mesmerized.

He pulled his hand away from hers much to her great disdain.

But he reached out to her yet again…

"Come with me, girl."

A small smile touched her lips. She tilted her head to the side. "Orihime Inoue."

Again that surge of agitation hit him.

"Come with me, _woman_."

It wasn't her name but an upgrade was an upgrade.

"Yes." She reached out to him but this time he didn't disappear.


End file.
